1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to laptop computers, and more particularly to portable computers having two displays, one or both of the displays being an interactive touch screen.
2. State of the Art
Computers, particularly laptop computers, in combination with selected peripheral equipment have been designed in the past for utilization by computer operators to make presentations to groups of observers. The techniques utilized when operating such computers are intended for the presentation of selected materials, viewable by the operator on the computer display screen, to several individuals or groups on secondary or supplemental display screens that are large enough for the entire group to observe. Such techniques are common for the presentation of materials in seminars, sales meetings, or similar gatherings wherein it is the intention of the computer operator to display the information available to him on the display screen to a group.
Early versions of such computers, and the implementing software together with the necessary peripheral equipment, were relatively bulky and very expensive. More recent versions of computers allow for a dual screen display for use in presentations where the presenter and observer can look at two separate, but hingedly attached, displays while facing each other for more effective communication. Examples of dual screen laptop computers are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,006 to Moscovitch (issued Jan. 29, 2002) entitled Computer Display Screen System and Adjustable Screen Mount, and Swinging Screens therefore, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,295,038 to Rebeske (issued Sep. 25, 2001), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference for their disclosure of possible structures, operations and functions of laptop computers with multiple display screens known in the art. Each of these patents discloses examples of multiple-screen laptop computers suitable for operators doing sales-type presentations to observers.
While conventional dual-screen displays are effective for giving one-way presentations to an observer, when an observer has a question about something on the display, the observer must either explain the screen in sufficient detail to explain the question to the presenter, or have the presenter move to come see the observer's display. In many cases, this negates much of the benefit of having a second display, because both the presenter and the observer eventually spend some of their time looking at the same display. Attempts to coordinate viewing of multiple displays by multiple people can even disrupt the flow, and therefore the effectiveness, of the presentation.